Egg carrier



June 25, 1929. 1 E WALSH 1,718,394

EGG CARRIER Filed Aug. 9,1926 2 sh'eets-sheet 1 J. E. WALSH EGG CARRIER l June 25, 1929.

Filed Aug. 9, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented J une 25, 17929.

UNITED STATES JOHN E. WALSH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EGG CARRIER.

Application filed August 9, 1926.

My invention relates to egg carriers and hasI for its main object the provision of a simple, inexpensive and efficient egg carrier of the knock-down type. One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a carrier of this character,

which may be shipped to the egg market,

where the eggs are to be put up, packed or erated, for sale, in fiat folded form and which may be quickly and conveniently set up in egg carrying form as and when it is to be used.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel carrier comprising a filler structure and a wrapping sheet, both made of cardboard or the like, one end of the wrapping sheet being made to cooperate with the filler structure and to serve as a partition for the egg cells therein, while the opposite end of the wrapping sheet is made to interlock with the filler structure and the Y first named end for securing the carrier in closed position.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings 30 forming a part of this specification, and

in which,

Fig. l represents a perspective view showino' my improved carrier as it appears when set up in egg carrying form with the wrappingI sheet secured in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,'

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

as it appears when in knock-down form, with the wrapping sheet spread out and the filler structure folded thereon;

Fig. 5 represents a plan view of the wrapping sheet detachedl from the filler structure;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the cross strips; and,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the cellular structure as it appears when set-up on the end of the wrapping sheet.

The preferred form of construction as exemplified in the accompanying drawings comprises two side strips 8 and 9 and an intermediate partition section 10, arranged in parallelism and intersected by cross strips 11 to produce a filler or cellular structure Fig. l is a plan View showing the carrier- Seral No. 128,034.

having' .on one side of the intermediate partition section 10 a row of egg holding cells 12 and having on the opposite side of said intermediate partition section a similar row of egg holding cells 13.

The cellular structure, thus composed of the side strips 8 and 9, intermediate partition section 10 and intersecting cross pieces 11, is'arranged to be collapsed for the shipment or storage of the carrier in knock-down form. To this end, the cross pieces l1 at the places where they intersect the side strips 8 and 9 and the intermediate partition section 10, are provided with open slits or slots 14, slits or slots 15 in alinement therewith and separated therefrom by integral webs 1G. These cross pieces 11 are intel-engaged with the side strips S and 9 and also with the intermediate partition section 10 by applying the slits or slots 14 thereof to the open elongated slits or slots 18 provided for the purpose in proper positions in said side strips 8 and 9 and in said intermediate partit-ion section 10. Now, the said elongated slits or slots are made so as to have shoulder portions 19 located opposite relatively narrow necks 20; and the slits or slots 14 are so applied to the slits or slots 1S that the integral webs 1G are slipped through the narrow necks 20 to be engaged over the shoulder portions 19. Under this construction, the filler or cellular structure is adapted to be swung upon intermediate partition section 10 into either knockdown form or set-up form. In Fig. 7 the cellular or filler structure is shown setup on the intermediate partition section, while in Fig. 4 it is shown in knockdown form thereon with the cross pieces 11 and side strips 8 and 9 folded substantially fiat upon said intermediate partition section 10. To fold the cellular or filler structure from the set-up form shown in Fig. 7 into the knock-down form shown in Fig. 4, the side strip 9 is drawn endwise so as to protrude over the one end of the partition section while the side strip 8 is moved endwise in the opposite direction so as to protrude over the opposite end of said partition section, the cross sections swinging upon the said partition section into substantially flat position thereon so that the side strip 9 will overlie said partition section while the side strip 8 will underlie the same.

According to an important feature of my present invention, the intermediate partition section 10 is made integral with a wrapping sheet 2l, divided by corner folding lines as 22 into, lirst,l the partition section 10, which comes at one end as clearly shown in Fig. 5, then into the successive sections 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28. When it is desired to fill the cells of the carrier with eggs, the partition section 10 is turned upwardly as shown in Fig. 7 and the cellular structure is set-up or opened so that the row of cells 13 is closed at the bottom by the section 23. After the cells 13 have been filled with eggs, the wrapping sheet is folded about the same so-that the section 25 is situated upon the top of the structure, whereupon the structure with the Wrapping sheet is turned right side up with the result that the said section 25 comprises a bottom both for the eggs in the cells 13 and for the eggs to be inserted in the cells 12. Having thus inserted the eggs in both rows of cells 12 and 13, the wrapping sheet is brought up over the top yof the structure so that the end section or portion 28 may be entered in the open slits or slots 14 along side of the intermediate partition section 10, whereby the cellular structure is bound and strengthened by the wrapper with the end section 28.frictionally held along side the partition section 10.

By making the carrier in this manner, the use of wrapping paper, strings, clasps and other securing devices are entirely eliminated. Vhen the carriers are in knocln down form, they may be piled one upon the other in vertical stacks and then bound in bundles or suitably boxed for transportation or storage. In knock-down form, therefore, a large number of the carriers can be secured together in compact arrangement so as to occupy relatively smallspace. Y

In practice, the cellular or filler structure may be set-up or opened on the partition section 10 in practically an instant by grasping the wrapping sheet close to said partition section 10 with the thumb and forelinger and giving the wrapping sheet a quick jerk or flick. By reason of this feature, my improved carrier may be employed to advantage where eggs are packed as candled, since no time need be lost in putting together or setting-up the carrier. For the same reason, merchants who sell to the retail trade may use this carrier to advantage. When the wrapping sheet is secured in position, it will be noted that the section 25 serves as the bottom for the cells, that the sections 24 and 26 constitute the opposite sides and that the sections 23 and 27 form thetop cover for the cells. From an inspection of Fig. 1, it will also be observed that the cross pieces 11 protrude a distance beyond the side strips 8 and 9 Where they are engaged by the side sections of the wrapping sheet; and further that the side strips 8 and 9 together with the partition section 10 protrude beyond the cross pieces which represent the ends of the cellular structure.

Vhile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An egg carrier including a cellular structure composed of side strips and cross pieces collapsible into substantially flat form; a partition interconnecting the cross pieces and on which the side strips and cross pieces are collapsible into substantially fiat form; and a Wrapping sheet made integral with said partition and separate from the side strips and cross pieces, substantially as described.

2. An egg carrier comprising side strips, an intermediate partition strip, and a plurality of cross pieces together forming open cells, said strips, partition and cross pieces being formed with shouldered slots whereby they are intcrlocked and adapted to fold upon the intermediate partition and said intermediate partition being extended to form awrapping sheet adapted to extend around the device to close said cell, said wrapping sheet having an end section adapted to be inserted in the slots in the cross pieces adjacent theintermediate partition, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN E. WALSH. 

